Method and system of controlling operation of customer access point with remote control

ABSTRACT

A method and system of controlling a customer access point with a remote control. The method and system including displaying control features on a user interface of the remote control for use in controlling operation of the customer access point.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to methods and system of controllingoperation of customer access points with a remote control.

2. Background Art

Cable, telecommunication, and other system operators provide a number ofservices to their customers, including television, video on demand(VOD), digital video recording (DVR), high speed data/internet servicesand the like. The access point for these services typically is a unit atthe customer location, such as a settop box (STB), media terminaladapter (MTA), outlet digital adapter (ODA), cable modem, computer, orthe like.

Such access points may include an electronic programming guide (EPG), agraphically user interface (GUI), or other user navigable interfaces ormenus for manipulating the services. In some cases, the access pointsmay be controllable with signals received from a remote control. Forexample, STBs may be programmed to display an EPG on a television andpermit a user to navigate through the EPG with remote control signals.

One problem with such access points and user interfaces is that thefeatures are user generic in the sense that the same menus are shownregardless of the user accessing the services. Another problem with suchaccess points and user interfaces is that they may require a user to bein close proximity to the display in order to view the informationassociated therewith and/or to communicate signals thereto with theremote control.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One non-limiting aspect of the present invention relates to a method andsystem of providing user specific interfaces for use in controllingoperation of customer access points.

One aspect of the present invention relates to a system of providingservices to a customer access point. The system may include a providerconfigured to transmit television, telephony, high speed data, and otherservice related signals to the customer access point. The system mayfurther include a remote control configured to remotely controloperation of the customer access point according to user inputs receivedthrough a remote control user interface.

In accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention, theprovider may be configured to transmit interface signals for controllinginformation displayed on the remote control user interface such that theinputs received through the remote control user interface to controloperation of the customer access point are a function of the interfacesignals transmitted by the provider.

In accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention, thecustomer access point may be a settop box (STB) such that channels tunedto by the STB are controlled according to inputs received by the remotecontrol interface. Optionally, the STB may include a digital videorecorder (DVR) such that recording on the DVR may be controlled by theremote control.

In accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention, theremote control may be a mobile/cellular phone, television remotecontrol, personal digital assistant (PDA), or the like.

One aspect of the present invention relates to a method of controlling asettop box (STB). The method may include providing user interfacesignals to a mobile phone for displaying a user interface on the mobilephone through which a user selects inputs for controlling operation ofthe STB.

In accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention, themethod may further comprise transmitting signals from the mobile phoneto control a channel tuned to by the STB or to control programs recodedon a recorder associated with the STB.

In accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention, themethod may further comprise automatically customizing the user interfacebased on a user of the mobile phone so as to customize the userinterface to the user.

One aspect of the present invention relates to a method of selectingprograms for viewing on a television. The method may include providingsignals to a mobile phone having a user interface for displaying a menuon the mobile phone interface through which a user selects a program forviewing on the television.

In accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention, themethod may further comprise providing the signals to the mobile phoneover a mobile phone network or a settop box (STB) associated with thetelevision.

In accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention, themethod may further comprise customizing the menu to the user based onsignals emitted from the mobile phone, such as based on a telephonenumber associated with the mobile phone.

In accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention, themethod may further comprise transmitting a control signal from themobile phone to tune the television to the selected program based oninputs received through the mobile phone interface, such as bytransmitting the signal from the mobile phone by way of a mobile phonenetwork to a settop box (STB) associated with the television and/ortransmitting the control signal from the mobile phone directly to theSTB.

One aspect of the present invention relates to a method of operating acustomer access point. The method may include associating a remotecontrol configured to transmit signals to facilitate control of thecustomer access point with a user and controlling a service associatedwith the customer access point as a function of the user associated withremote control.

In accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention, themethod may further comprise displaying a user interface on the remotecontrol to facilitate transmitting signals from the remote control forcontrolling the customer access point.

The above features and advantages, along with other features andadvantages of the present invention, are readily apparent from thefollowing detailed description of the invention when taken in connectionwith the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a system of providing services to customer accesspoints in accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT(S)

FIG. 1 illustrates a system 10 of providing services to customer accesspoints 12-14 in accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the presentinvention. The system 10 generally relies upon mono or bi-directionalcommunication of service related signals between a service provider 16and the customer access points 12-14.

The system 10 may be associated with any number of customer serviceoperators, including cable and telecommunication operators. The system10 may be configured to provide any number of services, such astelevision, telephony, high speed data, and the like.

The customer access points 12-14 may include any number ofconfigurations and features, including settop boxes (STBs), outletdigital adapters (ODA), media terminal adapters (MTA), voice overinternet protocol (VoIP) units, digital video recorders (DVR),computers, modems, and other devices capable of providing services tocustomers.

The customer access points 12-14 may communicate with the provider 16through a provider network 20. The provider network 20 may be configuredto transfer signals through any number of mediums, such as coaxialcable, hybrid fiber cable, terrestrial wireless, extraterrestrialwireless, infrared (IR), radio frequency (RF), and the like.Furthermore, the customer access points 12-14 may include transmitters,receivers, and the like for communication with the provider 16 as wellas with other devices.

In accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention, aremote control 24 may be provided to facilitate control of one or moreof the customer access points 12-14. The remote control 24 may compriseany number of configurations and features, including being a televisionremote control, a mobile or cellular phone, a personal data assistant(PDA), or the like. Of course, the present invention contemplates theremote control 24 including any number of other configurations and isnot intended to be limited to the foregoing examples.

In accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention, thesystem 10 may include a secondary network 30 and secondary server 32.The secondary network 30 and server 32 may be associated with theprovider 16, with an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of the remotecontrol 24, or other system provider. The secondary network 30 mayinclude any communication medium and the server 32 may be configured tocommunicate signals transmitted from the remote control 24 to signalssuitable for communication directly to the provider 16 and/or indirectlythereto by way of the provider network 32.

In accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention, theremote control 24 may include a user interface 38 through which the usermay interface with the remote control 24 to generate remote controlsignals and/or to receive information from the provider 16, server 32,and customer access point 12. In more detail, the user interface 38 mayinclude a touch-screen display, a display and alphanumeric keypad, orother features that permit instructions, menus, or other items to bedisplayed to the user and/or which also permits the user to respond tosuch displays through touch screens, buttons, or the like.

The remote control 24 may include any number of features andconfigurations for exchanging signals with the customer access points12-14 or other communication sources in communication therewith. Inparticular, the remote control 24 may be configured to transmit infrared(IR) or radio frequency (RF) signals to one or both of the customeraccess points 12-14 or network 30. For example, the remote control 24may include an IR transmitter and receiver for exchanging IR signalswith a STB and/or it may include an RF transmitter and receiver forexchanging cellular phone signals with the network 30. In this manner,the remote control 24 may communicate with the provider 16 through thecustomer access point 12 and/or the secondary network 30.

In accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention, auser may control operation of the customer access point 12 through theuser interface 38 of the remote control 24. In more detail, dataassociated with operation and control of the customer access point 12may be transmitted from the provider 16 to the remote control 24 by wayof customer access point 12 and/or the secondary network 30. The datamay then be manipulated by the remote control 24 to provide menus andother similar features on the interface 38 for controlling operation ofthe customer access point 12.

For example, the remote control interface 38 may be configured tomanipulate electronic programming guide (EPG) services associated withthe customer access point 12, such as if the customer access point is aSTB or other device configured to provide cable services. This allowsthe user to view the remote control interface 38 and make inputs theretoto control the remote control 24 to emit customer access unit controlsignals for controlling the customer access point 12 as function ofmenus and other items provided on the remote control interface 38, suchas to permit the user to select programs, channels, and videos on demand(VOD) to view or download on or to the customer access point 12. Theability to provide EPG and other customer access related functionalityon the remote control interface 38, which may be held by the user, maybe particularly advantageous to assist users having difficulty viewingan EPG displayed on a television. Moreover, the present inventioncontemplates leveraging off of information displayed on the televisionEPG by providing highlighted or key-hole viewing of portions of thetelevision EPG display on the remote control interface 38.

Likewise, the remote control interface 38 may be configured to controlother operations associated with the customer access point 12, such asif the customer access point 12 has DVR capabilities. In more detail,the remote control interface 38 may be configured to display recordingand other related DVR operations so that a user may remotely control thecustomer access point 12 to record, playback, or perform other recordingrelated operations. This may be particularly advantageous if the remotecontrol 24 is a cellular phone such that the user may simply use theircellular phone from any remote location to control DVR recording.

In this manner, the remote control interface 38 displays menus and otherfeatures related to functionality of the customer access point 12 suchthat the user may enter commands through the remote control interface 38to control the remote control 24 as a function thereof, such as to emitcontrol signals for controlling operation of the customer access point12. The control signals may be communicated to the customer access point12 directly from the remote control 24 with local transmission, i.e. IRor RF, and or indirectly over the secondary network 30 and server 32.

Of course, the present invention contemplates performing any number ofother operations through the remote control user interface 38, includingperforming text searching of television programs, movies, and the like,and/or to conduct video conferencing, access the internet, and/or highspeed data operations.

In accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention, thedata associated with the user interface 38 may be provided to the remotecontrol 24 from the provider 16 by way of the provider network 20 andcustomer access point 12 and/or by way of the server 32 and secondarynetwork 30. For example, if the customer access point 12 is a STB andthe remote control 24 is a cellular phone, the provider 16 may provideEPG, DVR, or the data related signals over the provider network 20 tothe STB for local transmission to the cellular phone whereby thecellular receives the locally transmitted data signals and configuresthe user interface 38 according to the received signals. Also, theprovider 16 may provide the data signals through the server (cellularserver) 32 which then converts the signals to those suitable fortransmission over the secondary network (cellular network) 30 to thecellular phone whereby the cellular phone receives the cellularlytransmitted data signals and configures the user interface 38 accordingto the received signals.

In accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention, theremote control 24 may be of a type which is associable with a user so asto permit the customer access point 12, provider 16, or other toidentify the user based on signals transmitted from the remote control24. For example, the remote control 24 may be a cellular phoneassociated with a cellular phone number that may be dialed to delivervoice calls to the cellular phone such that the system 10 may associatethe user with signals received from the cellular phone based on theassociated cellular phone number. In this manner, the remote controlinterface 38 and functions controlled thereby may be customized to theuser.

In accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention, theprovider 16, customer access points 12-14, or server 32 may include adata storage device or other feature for associating users with a remotecontrol 24, such as in a look-up table. For example, when the remotecontrol 24 is operational for controlling the customer access point 12,it may be configured to emit a request signals to the customer accesspoint 12 and/or the network 30. The provider 16 and/or the customeraccess point 12 may then reply to the request with customized userinterface data associated with the user of the remote control 24.

The associating of the user with the remote control may be completedwith any number of operations. For example, the provider 16 may includeoperators or other personnel for programming the association into thedata storage device based on a questionnaire or other informationobtained from the user. Likewise, a web-page or automated message systemmay be set up that the user accesses through the remote control 24 toinput their associated remote control identifier or which iselectronically pulled from the remote control.

In accordance with one non-limiting aspect of the present invention, theuser interface 38 automatically customizes its display based on anidentity of the user. In this manner, the EPG functions, DVR functions,and other functions associated with the customer access point 12 may betailored to the user. For example, a personal VOD folder may beassociated with on demand movie selections of a user such that each timethe user access a VOD menu of the EPG with the remote control 24 itprovides a listing of the videos personally associated with the user.Likewise, a personal recording folder may be associated with DVRselections of a user such that each time the user access a DVR menu withthe remote control 24 it provides a listing of the recordings personallyassociated with the user.

In this manner, the services may be customized to the user and displayedon the user interface 38 for immediate selection rather than requiringthe user to navigate multiple generic menus of the customer access point12. Of course, the present invention contemplates customizing the remotecontrol interface 38 to the user according to any number of otherfunctional aspects of the customer user interface and is not intended tobe limited to customization related only to personal folders.

The present invention contemplates any number of features andconfigurations for supporting the customization of the user interface38. In particular, the present invention contemplates storing thepersonal folders remotely on a data storage device associated with theprovider 16 and/or locally on a data storage device associated with thecustomer access point 12. The location of the folders may be associatedwith the means for transmitting data signals to the remote control 24,i.e. dependent upon whether the data signals are transmitted from thecustomer access points 12-14 or secondary network 30.

While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described,it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe allpossible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in thespecification are words of description rather than limitation, and it isunderstood that various changes may be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention.

1. A method of operating a customer access point, the method comprising:associating a remote control with a user, the remote control configuredto transmit signals to facilitate control of the customer access point;and controlling a service associated with the customer access point as afunction of the user associated with the remote control.
 2. The methodof claim 1 wherein the service is automatically controlled as a functionof the user without requiring user interaction.
 3. The method of claim 1further comprising displaying a user interface on the remote control tofacilitate transmitting signals from the remote control for controllingthe customer access point.
 4. The method of claim 3 further comprisingdisplaying the user interface on a mobile phone.
 5. The method of claim4 further comprising associating the user with a mobile phone identifierassociated with the mobile phone.
 6. The method of claim 5 furthercomprising determining the mobile phone identifier to be a mobile phonenumber through which voice calls are communicated to the mobile phone.7. The method of claim 3 wherein the customer access point is a settopbox (STB) with an electronic programming guide (EPG) having selectableservices, and wherein the method further comprises associating theremote control user interface with the EPG so that the user may selectfeatures from the remote control interface to control servicesassociated with the EPG.
 8. The method of claim 7 wherein at least oneof the services associated with the EPG relates to video on demand(VOD), and wherein the method further comprises selecting videos fromthe remote control interface to add to a personal VOD folder associatedwith the user.
 9. The method of claim 8 further comprising automaticallydisplaying the personal VOD folder associated with the user on theremote control interface as a function of signals transmitted from theremote control so as to customize the remote control interface to theuser.
 10. The method of claim 8 further comprising automaticallydisplaying the personal VOD folder associated with the user on thecustomer access point as a function of signals transmitted from theremote control so as to customize the customer access point to the user.11. The method of claim 3 wherein the customer access point is a digitalvideo recorder (DVR), and wherein the method further comprisesassociating the remote control user interface with the DVR so that theuser may select features from the remote control interface to controlservices associated with the DVR.
 12. The method of claim 11 furthercomprising selecting recordings from the remote control interface to addto a personal DVR folder associated with the user.
 13. The method ofclaim 12 further comprising automatically displaying the personal DVRfolder associated with the user on the remote control interface as afunction of signals transmitted from the remote control so as tocustomize the remote control interface to the user.
 14. The method ofclaim 12 further comprising automatically displaying the personal DVRfolder associated with the user on the customer access point as afunction of signals transmitted from the remote control so as tocustomize the customer access point to the user.
 15. The method of claim3 further comprising directly transmitting the signals from the remotecontrol to the customer access points as a function of inputs receivedthrough the remote control user interface.
 16. The method of claim 15further comprising directly transmitting the signals from the remotecontrol to the customer access point by emitting infrared (IR) or radiofrequency (RF) from the remote control and receiving the signals withthe customer access point.
 17. The method of claim 3 further comprisingindirectly transmitting the signals from the remote control to thecustomer access point as a function of inputs received through theremote control user interface.
 18. The method of claim 17 furthercomprising indirectly transmitting the signals from the remote controlto the customer access point by emitting signals from the remote controlover a network to a provider network associated with the customer accesspoint.
 19. The method of claim 18 further comprising emitting thesignals over a mobile phone network to the provider network.
 20. Themethod of claim 18 further comprising emitting the signals over a voiceover internet protocol (VoIP) network to the provider network.
 21. Themethod of claim 3 further comprising providing data to the remotecontrol to facilitate displaying the user interface on the remotecontrol.
 22. The method of claim 21 further comprising providing thedata to the remote control with signals emitted from the customer accesspoint.
 23. The method of claim 21 further comprising providing the datato the remote control with signals emitted from a network associatedwith the remote control and not the customer access point.
 24. Themethod of claim 21 further comprising providing the data to the remotecontrol with signals emitted over a cellular phone network.
 25. A methodof selecting programs for viewing on a television, the methodcomprising: providing signals to a mobile phone having a user interfacefor displaying a menu on the mobile phone interface through which a userselects a program for viewing on the television.
 26. The method of claim25 further comprising providing the signals to the mobile phone over amobile phone network.
 27. The method of claim 25 further comprisingproviding the signals to the mobile phone over a cellular phone network.28. The method of claim 25 further comprising providing the signals tothe mobile phone from a settop box (STB) associated with the television.29. The method of claim 25 further comprising customizing the menu tothe user based on signals emitted from the mobile phone so as tocustomize the menu to the user.
 30. The method of claim 29 furthercomprising customizing the menu based on a telephone number associatedwith the mobile phone.
 31. The method of claim 25 further comprisingtransmitting a control signal from the mobile phone to tune thetelevision to the selected program based on inputs received through themobile phone interface.
 32. The method of claim 31 further comprisingtransmitting the control signal from the mobile phone directly to asettop box (STB) associated with the television to control the STB totune the television to the selected program.
 33. The method of claim 31further comprising transmitting the control signal from the mobile phoneby way of a mobile phone network to a settop box (STB) associated withthe television to control the STB to tune the television to the selectedprogram.
 34. A method of controlling a settop box (STB), the methodcomprising: providing user interface signals to a mobile phone fordisplaying a user interface on the mobile phone through which a userselects inputs for controlling operation of the STB; and transmittingsignals from the mobile phone based on inputs received through themobile phone interface for controlling operation of the STB.
 35. Themethod of claim 34 further comprising transmitting signals from themobile phone to control a channel tuned to by the STB.
 36. The method ofclaim 34 further comprising transmitting signals from the mobile phoneto control programs recoded on a recorder associated with the STB. 37.The method of claim 34 further comprising automatically customizing theuser interface based on a user of the mobile phone so as to customizethe user interface to the user.
 38. A system of providing services to atleast one customer access point, the system comprising: a providerconfigured to transmit signals to the customer access point related toservices associated therewith; a remote control configured to remotelycontrol operation of the customer access point according to user inputsreceived through a remote control user interface; and wherein theprovider is further configured to transmit interface signals forcontrolling information displayed on the remote control user interfacesuch that the inputs received through the remote control user interfaceto control operation of the customer access point are a function of theinterface signals trasnmit by the provider.
 39. The system of claim 38wherein the provider is a cable provider configured to provide cableservices.
 40. The system of claim 38 wherein the remote control is amobile phone.
 41. The system of claim 38 wherein the remote control is apersonal data assistant (PDA).
 42. The system of claim 38 wherein thecustomer access point is a settop box (STB) such that channels tuned toby the STB are controlled by the remote control.
 43. The system of claim42 wherein the STB includes a digital video recorder (DVR) such thatrecording on the DVR is controlled by the remote control.
 44. The systemof claim 38 wherein the remote control user interface is customized as afunction of a phone number associated with the remote control.
 45. Thesystem of claim 38 wherein remote control user interface is customizedas a function of a user thereof.
 46. The system of claim 38 wherein theremote control is configured to transmit signals directly to thecustomer access point to control the operation thereof.
 47. The systemof claim 38 wherein the remote control is configured to transmit signalsover a phone network to control the operation of the customer accesspoint.